Stake polley



@with tatea glatent fftre.

STARR POLLEY, 0F BROOKLYN, IIII` YQRK.

Letters Patent ZYO. 63,556, dated Ayn-Z 2, 1867.

IMPROVEMENT IN STEAMING 0N EAT-BODIES.

TO ALL WIIOM' IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, .STARR POLLEY, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented certain new` and useful Improvements in Machines for Steaming on Hats; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof.

My invention is adapted for seizing the hat by that portion which is to form the brim, and to stretch with tolerable uniformity the whole of the part which is to form the body. It is especially e'licient for stretching the centre of the tip or top; an end which has not been properly effected by the most approved hat-stretching machines heretofore known to me.

I apply the hat-body, previously prepared by any suitable means, upon a conical or rather py'ramidal-shaped assemblage of levers. I hold it thereon by a series of clamps which are drawn together and embrace the rim of' the hat-body with gentle force. I then open the levers or increase the size of the conical frustum, thereby stretching thc tip, and then elevate, through the space thus provided in the een-tre of the mass, a hat-bloek previouslyintroduccd, which rises into the interior of the hat-body, and striking the tip draws up the entire body. The hold taken by the clamps upon the brim is so gentle as toallow the hat-body to be thus drawn upward before it will tear; but the hold is so firm as to efficiently stretch the material. The conical frustum and the clamps which iit thereon are corrugated with grooves and beads extending up and down, so that the hat-brim is taken up by being forced into these corrugations. This stretches the portion which is to form the brim, and affords a firmer hohl on the material. The clamps are operated with the various springs of such strength that their pressure is just suilicient for th'e purpose. This mode of bringing the clamps upon the hat allows for any inequalities in the thickness of the material, or for accidental wrinkles, or the like, without inducing fracture of the machine, or too strong hold ofthe material.

I will first proceed to describe what I consider the best means of carrying out my'invention, and will afterwards designate the points which I believe to be new. The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification.

Figure l is a side elevation of the entire machine.

i' Figure 2 is central vertical section; and

Figure 3 is a plan view of the same.

Figure Llis a f ace View.V

Figure 5v is a vertical section; and

Figure 6 is a horizontal section of one of the conically arranged stretehers.

I Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in allthe figures'. The tints are employed mainly to aid in distinguishing parts. The-parts that stretch are yellow; the parts that clamp are blue; and the hat-block and carrier are pink.

A is a rigid framework or stand which supports the machine. B B, etc., are six levers formed as represented, and adapted to turn on the hinges Their lower ends are pressed outwards by springs, C, Vso that they tend to hold their upper ends in the form of the frustum of a pyramid. This forms a pyramidal frustum on which the hats are placed, as above referred to. To -the lower ends ofthe levers I3 are connected chains D, 'which lead through holes in the framing A, and connect to the treadle or foot-lever E, hinged at e, to the fraining A, as represented. When the treadle E is free, the upper ends of the arms of the levers B come together, as indicated in the figures. When the treadle E is depressed by the action of the foot, the upper ends of the levers B are spread apart, and stretch the tip of the hat. Gr G, etc., are clamps, hinged to the exterior of the levers B at the points g, and they are actuated by means of the cross-har H1, mounted on the upper end of the lever II, which lever turns on the centre h.` The lower ends of the levers H are drawn inward by the springs I, which tends to hold the clamps G open in the position/indicated in iig. 2. They are in this position when the hat-body is drawn upon the tops of the levers B. To close the clamps G, and thus seize the hat-body, the lower ends of the levers H must be moved outward. lThis is effected by the chains J, which pass over the pulley j, through holes jl and under the pulley j?, and then up to the lever K, which turns on thc pivot c. S0 long as the clamps are open as in fig. 2, the lever K may be left downLbut when it is desired to press the clamps together` and seize the hat, the lever-Ii is elevated by seizing it with the hand and drawing it upward, thus pulling the chains II, and moving outward the lower ends of the levers II in opposition to the tension ofthe springs I. lVhen the lever K has been raised to its full extent, it is hooked upon one of the hooks L, which is capable of traversing to a certain distance in a verticai slot in the side of the hollow post or case M. This case contains a stout coiled spring which Vholds the hooks, with supporting shelves. This supports the lever K when it is hooked thereon, but iu such a manner that it niayzyield downward when the force is too great. The force is usually quite gentle when the lever is lifted and plu-ced upon the shelf or hook Il, and it is increased afterward when the clamps G- are moved outward bythe movement of the levers B, which press the hat-body against their inner faces. It will heobserved that although i the clamps G are hinged upon the levers B, and opened and closed against the'outer faces of theguppcr end of the latter, the mechanism for operating them, that is'to say, the levers-H and their connections, are not carried on the levers It follows that the clamps G- are shut against the hat by n means which tends to hold them in thesame position, even while the stretching parts B are moved out-ward. To actually remain stationary while the levers B, which press against their internal faces are moved outward, would be impossible. Consequently the clamps G are compelled to move outward with the movement of the levers B, and the pressure ofthe clamps G increases during the movement. The movement would be impossible except by the springing of some of the parts. In practice, the levers H and the chains J, and their several connections, all spring more or less, buttheir elasticity is mainly provided in the spring m, which yields downward and allows the lever K to sink, and consequently the chains J to yield as the movement of the stretching levers B requires it. This elastic action ofthe clamps (ir-provides, as before remarked, for holding the hat-bodies with a very uniform and just suflicient force, 'whether the hat-bodies are uniform or vary in thickness, or evenl where a wrinkle, or other accident, causes a marked increase of thickness at any point. The corrugations on the stretching levers B and on the clamps G, are very plainly indicated in figs. 5 and (i. The exterior of each stretching lever B has a deep and smoothly rounded groove, as indicated by B* in fig. 6. The inner face of each clamp Gr has a bead, which may be produced as indicated by simply corrugating the metal of which the clamp is composed, as represented by G* in fig. 6. There new remains to be described simply the mechanism for operating the hat-block. N is a vertical rod, slightly within the post A1, which forms the central erect portion ofthe framing A, around which the mechanism is arranged, as represented. 4 Its upper end is enlarged, as indicated by N1, and provided with a pin',l m1, or`other suitable means for holding in proper position a hat-block, O, which may be of any approved form and material. The lower end of the rod N'is connected, by the joint n., to a lever, l?, which is hung at' one end by a. link, Q, to the under portion of the framing A, and is connected at the other end by a cord, B, of one extremity ofthe lever S, which turns on the joint, and is operated by hand. After the tip of the hat-body has been stretched by being seized between the clamps G and stretching levers B, and strained by the depression of the trcadle E, and the consequent openings ofthe upper ends ofthe stretching levers B, the operator still holding hisfoot on the treadle E, seizes the handle of thelever T, and depresses it, thus raising the cord R and rod N, and bringing upward the hat-block O. As the latter rises it presses upward into the interior of the hat-body, and, continuing to rise, it draws it upward, drawing the material of the hat-body out from between the clamps G, and'stretching levers B. The resistance made by the hold of these clampsland levers is just sufhcient to stretch the sides of the hat-body to the extent desired. After the lever T has been thus operated, and the hatblock has been raised to the full extent, as indicated in fig. 1, the next operation is to tie a string firmly around the hat-block outside of the hat-body, and to thus confine the hat-hody properly to the block. After this operation is completed the clamps G are opened by liberatingthe lever K, and consequently slackeuing the chains J; and the hat-body is now removed 'with the block in its interior to be subsequently treated by other machinery or by hand. Av considerable number of hat-blocks being provided, another block O, is now placed on .f the support N1, and properly fitted on the pin ml, and the handle of the lever T is elevated, thus lowering the hat-bloot` O to the position indicated in fig. 2. After this is effected the treadle E is released, and the lower ends of the stretching levers B are moved outward by the action of the spring C, thus closing their upper ends and forming them into the conical frustum first described; and the whole of the parts are new in the position indicated in fig. 2, ready to receive another hat-body, and allow the same round of operations to be repeated.f My machine may be varied in many of its proportions and details without departing from the principle of my invention. Thus, the form of the levers and of all of the parts may be varied at will,yso long as a proper tapering surface is preserved. on which to place and press the hat-body.A The number of tlie several parts and clamps i may be increased with advantage, excepting that the cost of the machine will thereby be increased. It is practicable to even reduce the number here represented.l But I have found by experiment that six, as here constructed and represented, answer a very goed purpose. Certain portions of the operation may be conducted by power, if necessary. i

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

l. I claim the levers B, standing in a conica-l or pyramidal position during the stretching of the hat-body, and provided with clamps for holding the body thereon, all constructed and arranged substantially as and 'for the purpose herein set forth.

2. I claim the longitudinal corrugations G* and-BI, in the acting faces of the lever and clamps of a hatstretehing machine, adapted to operate relatively to each other and to the hat-body, as herein described and set forth. l

3. I claim the spring connection m, arranged relatively to the clamps G and levers B, and their connections, substantialy as and for the purpose herein set forth.

4. I claim the carrier N N1, and hat-block O, operating' relatively to the pyramidally arranged stretching levers B, which previously stretch the hat-body, substantially as and for the purposes herein specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

STARR POLLEY.

Witnesses W. G. Der, EMIL Ves-simeri. 

